


Quick Shot

by The_Golden_Trashcan_TM



Series: A Crown of Candy: The Rocks Before War [4]
Category: A Crown of Candy - Fandom, Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:08:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Golden_Trashcan_TM/pseuds/The_Golden_Trashcan_TM
Summary: Liam in the moments leading up to and after Jet leaves
Series: A Crown of Candy: The Rocks Before War [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1785442
Kudos: 14





	Quick Shot

When Liam told Ruby to run, he didn’t realize that that would be the last time she would see Jet alive.

He had hit the closest assailant three times and they didn’t go down; Liam knew this wasn’t a fight they wanted. He thought about going to the window. If he could open it up or even smash through it they might have a chance, but he wasn’t heavy enough and there wasn’t a lot of time. They were at a disadvantage and by the time his crossbow bolts hit, Jet had already been stabbed and Ruby was frozen in indecision.

 _Run!_ he’d whispered as he disappeared into shadows. _Get out!_

Ruby took a step forward, a look of determination etched clearly on her face as she grabbed her bow. Her eyes were scanning the room for anyone she might be able to see, but he knew she wouldn’t be able to. They had alchemical dark vision and while Jet had managed to hit one on her way down, Ruby would have no luck.

 _Run!_ Jet had croaked, the poison getting to her. _Leave!_

The sound of Jet’s strained voice seemed to jar her more than the assassins, and panic started to set in. She looked around, looking at Jet and straining to see Liam, tears falling on her cheeks before she vanished completely.

Their assailants started to shuffle and he recognized one of the voices. Senator Ciabatta, the man who had taken Ruby and Jet on a mission to infiltrate the church. They had trusted him. _Believed_ in him.

The temperature in the room began to drop as his anger began to bubble over, light peppermint frost covering the floor around him. He wanted them gone—no, not gone. _Dead_. He wanted them devoured by the Hungry One. To feel even a fraction of the pain they had caused to him, his family, his kingdom. He wanted them to know and understand the ache of loss and fear of being hunted.

But he didn’t have the time.

Before they could gather themselves more, he cast _Rope Trick_ and pulled himself and Jet into a different space where they couldn’t hurt them. He turned his attention to Jet. Her normally vibrant skin was dull and grey. She barely moved save for her choking gasps and twitching hands.

Liam placed his hands on her wounds, trying to stop the bleeding or get some idea of how to fix her. She was corroding away and all of his ranger training meant nothing as he held her in his arms.

Sharp spikes of peppermint frost shot out into the inky darkness of this space as he looked up at Jet, sadness and anger on her face. The warm glow of her locket was one source of light in the dark, shining bright even though he knew that the other half was now dark.

“Tell Ruby I love her,” she sniffled. “And tell her she did the right thing.”

From behind her, another, tall woman placed a hand on Jet’s back and Liam eyes flickered over to her, tears sailing down his face. General Rococoa smiled sadly and said, “Good job, soldier. You got her home. Ruby’s gonna be alright.”

Jet sniffled, a small smile of relief breaking the sadness. “Thank you.”

“Work’s not over. There’s plenty we can do from this side. You ready?”

“I mean, yeah, that sounds awesome.” Jet smiled, letting out a chuckle as she wiped her tears away and for the first time, she looked like the child she actually was.

“I have bad news. If you thought the adventure was gonna end, it’s not.”

“Well, if you thought the adventurer was gonna die, she definitely fucking wasn’t.”

Rococoa chuckled and kissed Jet on the cheek. “Let’s get to work.”

Together, they vanished, but not before Rococoa nodded at him and Jet flashed a smile over her shoulder, and then he was alone.

He needed to get up. He needed to move and go return Jet to her home. He needed to help Ruby who was undeniably running toward danger. He needed. To. _Move_.

But he stayed. He allowed himself this one moment of grief in the one space he knew with certainty he was safe in. He clutched Jet’s body to his chest, letting out the sobs he had been holding in his chest since he was put on trial. Sobs that had been _begging_ to be let out since Lapin and Preston gave their lives for them.

His throat was sore and hoarse by the time he was done, stray tears dropping on the frost that surrounded him as he dropped the spell. They landed with a thud in the attic, Ciabatta and his men gone and Jet in his arms.

He took one step forward, then another. And another and another until he was out of the shop and sprinting heavily down the road back to the castle. Whether they called him a seed guy or a war guy it didn’t matter. All’s fair in love and war was bullshit. Nothing was fair and he’d be damned if his friends—his _family_ —all died for someone else’s glory.

He crossed the bridge, sounds of struggle and shouts reaching him as he shifted Jet and reached for his crossbow.


End file.
